Jim Harbaugh has not budged yet. And, it does not sound as if he is about to change his mind about who is playing quarterback at Michigan.
The former Wolverines and NFL quarterback continues to put John O'Korn on the field, keeping backup quarterback Brandon Peters on the bench, despite lackluster results.
O'Korn has thrown for an average of 122 yards a game with one touchdown and four interceptions in six games, including the past three as a starter in place of injured Wilton Speight. Even while No. 2 Penn State was routing Michigan 42-13 last Saturday, it wasn't until late in the game that Harbaugh attempted to get Peters some game experience.
When the Wolverines (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) play host to Rutgers (3-4, 2-2) on Saturday — a matchup of teams tied for fourth in the Big Ten East — they are expected to have O'Korn under center. Peters is getting "backup snaps" in practice, and that seems to be the only time Harbaugh plans on that happening.
"He's one play away right now and every day readying himself to be out there playing," Harbaugh said.
Michigan, which rose to No. 7 after a 4-0 start, fell out of the Associated Press poll this week for the first time in two-plus years.
Etc.
• No. 21 Southern California will be without Pacific-12 sack leader Christian Rector because of a broken hand, the latest Trojans player to be sidelined by injury. The sophomore defensive end has recorded 6½ sacks this season. USC has already had 11 starters miss games going into Saturday's visit to Arizona State.
• Keller Chryst threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to JJ Arcega-Whiteside with 20 seconds left to give No. 20 Stanford a 15-14 victory at Oregon State on Thursday night. The Cardinal (6-2, 5-1 Pac-12) played without Bryce Love, the nation's leader with an average of 198.1 yards rushing per game, because of an ankle injury, and barely beat a Beavers team that fell to 1-7 and 0-5 in conference.
